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Dress Fabrics for Dressmaking

Dress Fabrics for Dressmaking

Dressmaking fabrics and dress materials for every kind of make, sourced from mills across the UK and Europe, with much of it ex-designer or mill-end stock. Browse everything here, or shop by fibre: cotton fabric, linen, viscose fabric, silk, wool and jersey. Fabrics are sold by the metre or half metre depending on the fabric, and many can be sampled before you buy.
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  • + More colours Zig Zag Quilting - Black Zig Zag Quilting Black Polyamide Wadded Coating Fabric
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    Zig Zag Quilting - Black

    Black zig zag quilted nylon fabric, 135cm wide with lightweight insulation and durable structure.

    £21.50 per metre
  • Made in Italy Tiny Tim Three Fine Dogtooth Check Wool Shirting Fabric Tiny Tim Three
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    Tiny Tim Three

    Woven in Italy, this fine shirt fabric features a small check made up of black & grey yarns. Made from 100% wool.

    £20.00 per metre
  • Halloween Spider Web Halloween Web Black Silver Polyester Fabric R1 2
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    Halloween Spider Web

    Fabulous fancy dress & costume fabric in a drapey black polyester & silver foil print.

    £5.26 per metre
  • 12oz Recycled Cotton Red Selvedge Denim
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    12oz Recycled Cotton Red Selvedge Denim

    12oz 80cm red selvedge denim fabric, recycled cotton blend woven fabric for jeans and jackets.

    £17.50 per metre
  • Made in Britain+ More colours Waxed Cotton - Chera 4oz - Black Waxed Cotton Chera 4oz Black British Water Resistant Coating Fabric Roll
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    Waxed Cotton - Chera 4oz - Black

    148cm black waxed cotton, 4oz lightweight, shower-resistant, flexible for coats and bags.

    £12.50 per metre
  • Made in Britain+ More colours Brambrook - Tweed Brambrooks Tweed Dark Grey Fine Woollen Twilled Suiting Jacketing Fabric Close Up Drape Fabric Photo
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    Brambrook - Tweed

    Made for an Italian designer brand this British woven black grey marl coating cloth combines all the qualities of a Yorkshire woollen Moorland tweed.

    £30.00 per metre
  • Made in Britain+ More colours Brambrook - Bygone Bambrook Bygone British Wool Tweed Coating In Black And Grey Fold 2
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    Brambrook - Bygone

    Black and grey British twill tweed coating fabric that hints to a bygone era. Gorgeous.

    £30.00 per metre
  • + More colours Lona Crepe - Black Lona Crepe Black Dressmaking Fabric Mannequin Drape
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    Lona Crepe - Black

    Stretch crepe in black. Medium weight and versatile our double crepe works for dresses, top and jumpsuits

    £11.76 per metre
  • Made in Italy Catena Catena Cotton Black Chain Print Italian Suiting Fabric Fold
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    Catena

    Italian cotton suiting fabric with a subtle chain link design on black, 140cm wide.

    (1)
    £22.00 per metre
  • Noir Luxe Crushed Velvet Polyester Evening Wear Fabric Noir Luxe Crushed Velvet
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    Noir Luxe Crushed Velvet

    139cm wide, 100% polyester black crushed velvet fabric. Ideal for sophisticated evening wear.

    £19.46 per metre
  • Made in Italy Valerie Italian 100% Cotton Black Velvet Fabric Valerie Roll
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    Valerie

    150cm wide Italian black cotton velvet fabric with a soft lightweight drape.

    (1)
    £16.00 per metre
  • Made in Italy Morning Glory Morning Glory Viscose Elastane Black Stretch Italian Deadstock Fabric Fold
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    Morning Glory

    97% viscose, 3% elastane densley knitted, fine soft mid-weight dress fabric in black which offers a smooth, elegant drape with a subtle stretch. This is a heck of a cloth.

    £21.00 per metre
  • Made in Italy+ More colours ITA Collection - Cashmere - Cestino Ita Collection Cashmere Cestino Wool Grey Black Herringbone Basket Weave Coating Fabric Fold
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    ITA Collection - Cashmere - Cestino

    Italian wool and cashmere herringbone coating, 148cm wide. Ex-designer deadstock in grey and black, soft and refined.

    £36.00 per metre
  • Made in Italy+ More colours ITA Collection - Cashmere - Lusso Ita Collection Cashmere Lusso Wool Black Grey Brushed Suiting Fabric Fold
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    ITA Collection - Cashmere - Lusso

    Italian wool and cashmere coating in deep near-black, 152cm wide. Ex-Valentino deadstock with a soft brushed finish.

    £46.00 per metre
  • Made in Italy+ More colours ITA Collection - Bracco Tweed Ita Collection Bracco Tweed Wool Grey Black White Ex Designer Deadstock Houndstooth Check Coating Fabric Fold
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    ITA Collection - Bracco Tweed

    Italian 100% wool tweed, 154cm wide. Ex-designer deadstock houndstooth jacketing in black, grey and white.

    £33.00 per metre
  • Omega Superfine Wool Suiting Fabric Black Omega Roll
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    Omega

    150cm wide superfine wool suiting fabric has a gorgeously soft hand. Features an interesting birds-eye weave in shades of black, dark grey and navy.

    (2)
    £14.00 per metre
  • Made in Italy+ More colours ITA Collection - Bracco Suiting Ita Collection Bracco Suiting Wool Woven Houndstooth Check Black White Ex Designer Deadstock Suiting Fabric Fold
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    ITA Collection - Bracco Suiting

    Italian 100% wool suiting, 145cm wide. Ex-designer deadstock black and white houndstooth with a soft, refined finish.

    £33.00 per metre
  • + More colours JK - Marmaris - Black Jk Mamaris Black Cotton Stretch Twilled Trousering Dress Fabric Close Up Fabric Photo
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    JK - Marmaris - Black

    Black stretch cotton trousering fabric by John Kaldor, 150cm wide for smart tailoring.

    (1)
    £14.50 per metre
  • + More colours Crepe De Chine - Black Crepe De Chine Black Chiffon Roll
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    Crepe De Chine - Black

    Black crepe de chine easy care dress fabric. A lightweight versatile fabric which drapes beautifully.††

    £8.00 per metre
  • Premium Challis - Black Challis Black Floral Viscose Challis Dress Blouse
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    Premium Challis - Black

    145cm wide, high twist printed viscose challis with a cream and aqua floral pattern on black.

    £10.00 per metre
  • + More colours Georgette Dress Fabric - Black Georgette Black Black Polyester Georgette Dress Fabric Cud
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    Georgette Dress Fabric - Black

    Gorgeous quality Georgette dress fabric in deep black.

    £6.00 per metre
  • + More colours Liquid - Black Liquid Black Polyester Satin Crepe Black Dress Fabric Close Up Fabric Photo
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    Liquid - Black

    210gsm black satin-backed crepe with a sleek drape, perfect for timeless evening pieces.

    (4)
    £16.00 per metre
  • John Kaldor - Almost As Good As A Bath Almost As Good As A Bath John Kaldor Velvet Black Floral Dress Fabric Cud1
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    John Kaldor - Almost As Good As A Bath

    150cm wide, polyester/ polyamide short crop knitted velvet with plenty of stretch from John Kaldor.

    £22.00 per metre
  • + More colours Double Scallop Lace - Black Lace Black Black Floral Corded Polyester Lace Dress Fabric S
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    Double Scallop Lace - Black

    145cm wide soft corded dressmaking lace in rich jet black. Beautifully made with a scallop edge on each side.

    £12.96 per metre
  • Knights in Black Satin
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    Knights in Black Satin

    Lightweight cotton satin fabric, 152cm wide with a soft subtle sheen and smooth finish.

    £6.00 per metre
  • Midnight Velvet Micro Falcon Velvet Dress Fabric Black Polyester Midnight Velvet Hang

    Midnight Velvet

    Deep black polyester micro velvet, 110cm wide, with a plush pile for dresses and eveningwear.

    £11.00 per metre
  • Aye Aye Coated Stretch Viscose Nylon Blend Twill Black Dress Fabric Aye Aye CU

    Aye Aye

    Black PU-coated stretch twill with a sleek satin sheen, supple drape and lengthwise stretch.

    £9.00 per metre

The right dressmaking fabric starts with the pattern. Most patterns list suitable fabrics on the envelope or in the instructions, and following that guidance on fibre, weight and stretch makes fitting and construction much easier. If a pattern suggests "light to medium-weight wovens such as cotton lawn, viscose challis or linen", any of those will work. If it says "stretch knits only", a woven won't.

Choosing fabric for the garment

Summer dresses and blouses suit lightweight fabrics with drape, such as cotton lawn, voile, viscose challis, silk and lightweight linen.

Shirts, skirts and everyday dresses need a little more body. Cotton poplin, shirting, linen and viscose twill all hold their shape without feeling stiff.

Tailoring and occasionwear call for crepe, satin and wool suiting, which have the weight and finish that lighter fabrics can't give.

Stretch patterns are designed for knits such as jersey and ponte. Using a woven where a pattern asks for stretch will change the fit.

Natural fibres and blends both have their place. Cotton, linen, silk and wool breathe well and are comfortable next to the skin, while blends can add stretch, cut down on creasing or make a fabric easier to care for. The composition is listed on every product page.

Where our dressmaking fabrics come from

Much of the range is ex-designer or mill-end stock, bought directly from textile mills in the UK, Italy and across Europe. That's why you'll find Italian wools, silks and printed viscoses alongside everyday cottons, and why some lines are limited: once a mill-end piece has sold, it may not come back. Our ex-designer fabrics collection gathers the branded and designer pieces together.

How much fabric to buy

Check the fabric requirements on your pattern for your size and the width of the fabric you've chosen, which is shown on every product page. If you're not working from a pattern, our fabric calculator gives an estimate for common garments. Buy everything for one project in a single order, as a later order may come from a different dye lot.

What is the most popular fabric for dressmaking?

Cotton and viscose are the most widely used fabrics for everyday dressmaking. Cotton is easy to sew, comes in a huge range of prints and weights, and is comfortable year-round. Viscose drapes well and suits wrap dresses, shirt dresses and anything that needs movement. For special occasions, silk and satin are the usual choices.

How much fabric do I need to make a dress?

For a simple shift or tea dress, 2-2.5 metres is often enough, depending on your size and the fabric width. Dresses with full skirts, pleats or long sleeves need more, often 3-4 metres. Always check your pattern's fabric requirements first, and allow extra for pattern matching or a one-way print. Our fabric calculator gives an estimate for common garments.

Can I buy dressmaking fabric by the half metre?

On many fabrics, yes. Fabrics priced over £10 a metre can be bought from half a metre, in half-metre steps. Fabrics at £10 a metre or less have a minimum of one metre, then go up in half metres. Whatever you order is cut in one continuous length.

What is the difference between woven and knit dressmaking fabrics?

Woven fabrics, such as cotton, linen, silk and crepe, don't stretch along the grain and suit most standard dressmaking patterns. Knit fabrics, such as jersey, viscose jersey and ponte, have natural stretch and are designed for patterns that call for stretch fabric. Using the wrong type will affect the fit and how the garment behaves.

Can I order a sample of dressmaking fabric before buying?

Most of our dressmaking fabrics have an Order Sample button on the product page, so you can check the colour, weight and handle before buying a full length. A few limited lines aren't sampled, in which case a half metre is the alternative where the fabric allows it.

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